Knitted fabric



G. O. CLAUSS KNITTED- FABRIC Nov. 5, 1940.

Original Filed Oct. 14, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 5, 1940. 'l G. @.CLAUSS KNITTED FABRI C Original Filed Oct. 14, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 NOV. 5, 1940. G, o, CLAUSE, 2,220,781

KNITTED FABRIC original Filed oct. 14, 1932 5 sheets-sheet 4 Nov. 5, 1940. G'. Q. CLAUSS 2,220,781

KNITTED FABRIC Original Filed 001;. 14, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 v Patented Nov. 5, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Rosle of abandoned application serial No. 637,843,

ootobor 14, 1932. This applioaiion May 15,

1939, Serial N0. 273,813

2 Claimsl' (Cl. 66-198) The present application is a rele of abandoned application, Serial No. 637,843, `led October 14, 1932.

This invention relates tov knitted fabrics, and

5 particularly to that type known in the art as non-run fabric.

Plain knitted fabric, such as used in the manufacture of hosiery, underwear, sweaters, etc., consists of successively formed, horizontally extendlo ing rows or courses of stitches each consisting of a series of loops, formed .on the needles of the machine producing the fabric, which are connected transversely or coursewise of the fabric by connecting loops, commonly referred to as 15 sinker loops, which lie between the needle loops,

the needle loops of one course being interlooped with the corresponding needle loops of the adia- `cently disposed courses, and the sinker loops of each course being likewise interlooped with the 20 corresponding sinker loops of the adjacently disposed courses, producing in the fabric substantially straight vertical lines of loops known as needle wales and sinker wales" respectively. Should the thread, of which the fabric is 25 formed, break in one of the needle loops the corresponding needle loop in the preceding course will be released, and. it in turn will release the next loop in the next preceding course and so on through the fabric forming what is commonly a0 known as a, runner that will progress in one direction along the Wale in which the broken loop occurs.

Should the thread break in one of the sinker loops the corresponding sinker loops of each 35 of the succeeding courses will be released in a manner similar to the release of the needle loops above referred to, consequently producing a runner which will progress along the sinker wale in which the break occurs in the op- 40 posite direction to that produced by the breaking or dropping of a needle loop.

Various attempts have been made to produce a non-run fabric wherein a thread breaking in either a needle wale or a sinker Wale may pro- 45 duce a. runner, but, the runner will be arrested after progressing through but a relatively few number of courses. jefa-.g

One example of the non-run type of fabric is disclosed in the United States Letters Patent to 50 Nathan Schwartz No. 1,470,490, dated October 9, 1923, wherein a runner starting in a single wale will be arrested after progressingto a maximum of four courses.

In this particular type of fabric alternate 65 stitches in alternate courses are spread coursewise of the fabric from the wale in which the stitch originates to the wale next adjacent thereto, half the stitch being retained in the wale or origin and the other half being interknit with a stitch in the said adjacent Wale. This procedure effectively stops runners in either direction when a stitch breaks in one or more of the wales of the fabric. 'I'he courses intermediate those in Which the stitches are laterally spread are of the plain variety, and the spreading of the stitches is alternated in the adjacently disposed wales.

While fabric of this kind is effective insofar as the non-run feature is concerned, the staggered relation of the spreading of the loops throughout the fabric causesthe individual wales and courses to be distorted from their regular transverse and vertical right angle relation to each other, producing what in effect is generally known as a netted or mesh fabric having relatively large openings therein. Insofar as hosiery is concerned, and. particularly womens hosiery, netted and mesh fabrics have lost favor, while fabrics having the appearance of the plain fabric', above referred to, are in demand.

The object of the present invention is to produce a non-run fabric wherein the construction responsible for the tendency of the fabric to assume the netted or mes appearance is changed to one causing the fabric to assume an appearance more closely approaching that of the plain fabric.

The construction and method of producing a non-run fabric according to the principles of the present invention will be disclosed hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, of which:

p Fig. 1 is a fragmentary face view diagrammatically illustrating the fabric on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged stitch diagram of the re- 40 verse or back face of the fabric, as produced according to the principles of the present invention;

Figs. 3 to 10 inclusive are respectively diagrammatic-plan views illustrating various steps in producing the fabric according to the principles of the present invention; and

Figs. 11 to 20 respectively are longitudinal sectional elevations further illustrating the various steps in the production of the fabric.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 2, the fabric comprises a plurality of successively knit courses I., 2, 3, 4, etc. producing needles wales 5, 6, 1, 8,

9 and I0 alternating with sinker wales II, I2, I3, I4, I5, etc. 'I'he odd numbered courses I, 3, etc. are composed entirely of plain stitches I9, I9,

locking stitches 2|.

while the even \nu'mbered courses 2, 4, etc. are composed of plain stitches 26, alternating with Each locking stitch is composed of a plain stitch spread coursewise of the fabric from its wale of origin to the next adjacent wale thereto. For example, in course 4 the locking stitches 2| originate respectively in wales 5, 1, 9, and are spread over and interlocked with the plain stitches 20 in the wales 6, 8, I0, while in course 2 the locking stitches 2| originate respectively in wales 6, 8 and I0 and are spread coursewise and interlocked with the plain stitches 26 of wales 1, 9, etc.

The laterally spread portion of each locking stitch 2| is circularly twisted in line with the course in which the locking stitch is disposed, the twist taking place on a line extending coursewise of the fabric, substantially in the plane of the needles producing the fabric, whereby instead of just a half needle loop being disposed, for example, in the wale 5 and the: other half of the loop being disposed in wale 6, reference now being had to course 4, a complete substantially circular locking loop 22 is produced in wale 6 and a complete needle loop or stitch is produced in Wale 5, the laterallyr extended portion of the locking stitch 2 I, as a result of the half circular twist, crossing upon itself, as indicated at 23, to produce these two complete loops, and being held in 'this crossed relation by the sinker 1oop 24 in the sinker wale that is disposed intermediate the needle wales 5 and 6 respectively.

`By slackening the tension of the thread or by increasing the length of the stitches when one of the locking courses 2, 4, etc. is being produced a suiiicient amount of extra thread is provided to permit the formation of the locking loops 22, and at the same time permit all of the stitches in the said locking courses 2, 4, etc. to be of the same length as the stitches of the intermediate plain courses 3, etc., whereby the needle wales 5, 6, 1, etc. will retain more nearly their true longitudinal parallel alignment, as a result of the reduction in the amount/of coursewise tension produced by the lateral spreading of the locking stitches,` which otherwise would distort the wales.

In producing the fabric a course of regular plain stitches, such as that illustrated at l, is iirst formed on and by the needles 25 in the usual manner (see Fig. 3). While these loops are still held on the needles the thread is laid to and sunk around the needles, in the usual manner, rto produce a succeeding course of plain stitches, which are pulled through the stitches of course I, in the usual manner. While this newly formed course of stitches is held on the needles 25, spreading points 36, similar to the harrowing points oi' a. flat knitting machine, are broLght'into engagement with alternate needles 25, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 11, to pass into the stitches 2| and between the said stitches and the needles on which the stitches are hung.

Instead of completely lifting the stitches 2| from the needles 25, the spreading points 36 and the needles 25 rise from the position shown in Fig. 11, where the stitches 2| are resting on top of the knock-over bits 3 to a position where the lower ends of the spreading points 36 are above the plane of the said knock-over bits, the spreading points 30 and needles 25 moving apart and away from each other, in the plane of the needle, until the points 30 are clear of the beards 26 of the needles, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 12.

While the needles and spreading points are maintained in this Same spaced relation. the said spreading points 30 are shogged laterally out of line with the needles on which the stitches 2| were formed to positions in line with the needles next adjacent to those from which the stitches 2| have been spread and on which the plain 5 stitches 20 ofthe new course are still hanging, as illustrated in Fig. 5.

While maintained in this new alignment the points 30 and needles 25 move relative to and toward each other in the planes of the needles until 10 the ends 21 of the beards 26 of the needles 25 on which the stitches 20 are hanging are seated in the grooves 32 of the spreading points 30.

With the free ends 21 of the beards 26 of the needles seated in the grooves 32 of the spreading 15 points 30 relative movement between the needles and transfer points in a direction longitudinally ofeach is eiected, whereby the extreme end or point 21 of each needle beard 26 slides downwardly in the groove 32 and assumes a position be- 20 tween the leg 2 la of the stitch 2|, which is then yextending diagonally across and in front of the `needle 25, from the spreading point 30 to the stitch of the preceding course in the Wale of origin of the stitch 2|, the second leg 2lb of 25 the stitch 2| extending diagonally from the spreading point 30 to the needle 25 from which the stitch is being spread, and which still retains contact with the one side of the sitch 2|, this relation being clearly shown in Fig. 13 of the 30 drawing. l The spreading points 30 and the needles 25 are then moved further toward each other in the plane of the needle from the position shown in Fig. 13 to that shown in Fig. 14 wherein the beard 35 26 of the needle is closed on the leg 2|a of the stitch 2| and the plain stitch 20 normally retained by the needle. The spreading points 30 are then raised relative to the needles whereby the portion 2| c of the stitch 2| which connects the leg. 2|a and 2lb and passes around the spreading. point is slipped 01T the end of the .spreading point and is caught and held by the beard 26 of the needle, as clearly shown in Figs. '1 and l5.

The needles are then lowered to the position shown in Figs. 16 wherein the fabric rests on top of the knock-over bits 3| and in ,this movement of the needles the portion 2Ic of the stitch 2| is rolled around and over the top or point of the needle, the leg 2|a of the stitch moving from the front to the back of the needle and crossing the leg 2| b intermediate the needles, the portion 2|c of the stitch 2| then becomes a full loop 22 extending completely around the shank 28 of the needle immediately adjacent the point 29 thereof, as clearly shown in Figs. 8 and 16. I

The needles then rise through the plain stitches 20 held thereon and the locking loops 22 held o the alternate needles in superposed relation to the plain stitches 20 thereon, the sinkers 33 n'ow being in their outer positiol and engaging the said loops and stitches to sli e the same down on the needles as the needles rise therethrough, the needles rising relative to the loops and stitchkes until the said loops and stitches are well below t e points 21 of the beards 26 of the needles, and wherein the needles and sinkers are in their usual normal position to receive thread for the next course of stitches to be formed.

The thread is fed to the needles and sinkers in the usual manner by a thread guide such as that illustrated at 34 in Fig. 17. After the sinking of the thread around the needles the needles are lowered and move 'into engagement with the 75 presser face 35 in the usual manner, closing the beards around the new thread which is then well up on the needle toward the points thereof, the points of the beards being closed above the stitches 2D and loops 22 held on the needles from the preceding course, as clearly shown in Fig. 18.

The new thread is then pulled through the previously formed stitches 20-2I and locking loops 22, in the manner illustrated in Figs. 19 and 20, which are then cast from the needles in the usual manner and assume the position shown in Fig. 10 relative to theanewcourse of stitches just completed by the needles and which are hanging on the needles as shown in Fig. 10.

The catching of the one leg of the spread locking stitch solely by the beard of the needle and the throwing of the caught portion of the stitch over the point or upper end of the needle as above described twists the spread portions of the stitches 2l substantially along the line 3:, Fig. 10, in or immediately adjacent the plane of the needles 25 and where the sinker loops 24 interlock with the needle loops 20 and. 2|. The sinker loops press against the twists where the two legs of the stitches 2| cross each other to provide and maintain the complete loops 22; K

Throughout the foregoing specification the spreading of the loops and the twisting of the spread loops to eect locking for the prevention oi' the formation of runners or ladders in the fabric has been described as occurring at the intersections of alternate wales and alternate courses. However, the invention is not restricted to this particular arrangement although such arrangement is preferable. Itwill be clear that the spreading of loops and the twisting of the spread loops may take place in every third, fourth, or other course, as desired, and in every second, third, or fourth wale, etc., the distribution of the locking loops being so arranged in any instance that a runner will be stopped after advancing across a relatively few courses and with the locking loops so arranged that runners in each and every wale will be arrested accordingly.

I claim: 1. A non-run knitted fabric comprising alternating tight and loose courses of stitches forming needle wales alternating with sinker wales extending substantially at right angles to said courses, locking stitches at the intersections of alternate needle wales and said loose courses, said locking stitches each being spread laterally from the needle Wale of a loose course in which said stitch originates to and interknit with a single stitch of said loose course in the needle wale next adjacent to said Wale of origin, said locking stitch being twisted circularly upon itself in line with said loose course and with the sinker wale disposed between said adjacently disposed needle wales.

2. A non-run knitted fabric comprising alternating tight and loose courses of stitches forming. needle wales alternating with sinker wales extending substantialy at right angles to said Y courses, locking stitches at the intersections of alternate needle wales and said loose courses, said locking stitches each being spread laterally from the needle Wale of a loose course in which said stitch originates to and interknit with a single stitch of said loose course in the needle wale next -adjacent to said Wale of origin, said locking stitch being twisted circularly upon itself in line with said loose course and with the sinker wale disposed between said adjacently disposed needle wales, said twist occurring at a point where a sinker loop of the next succeeding tight course of said sinker Wale is interknit with the stitch at said intersection and the stitch next adjacent thereto upon which the intersection stitch is spread.

GUIDO O. CLAUSS. 

